


Angel of the Morning

by Gabriel_Is_My_Guardian_Angel89



Series: Bound To You [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angel Soul Bonds (Supernatural), Angel soulmate, Angel/Human Relationships, Angst, Angst and Feels, Coitus Interruptus, F/M, Grace use, More angst, Oral Sex, Oral sex (both receiving), Self-Esteem Issues, Smut, Soulmate AU, Wing Kink, angelic mind meld (for lack of a better phrase), angst again!, smidge of fluff, vague smutty-ish recollections
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2019-08-23 12:36:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16619087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gabriel_Is_My_Guardian_Angel89/pseuds/Gabriel_Is_My_Guardian_Angel89
Summary: slightly inspired by the Juice Newton song of the same name. sequel to Invisible Touch (OC Edition). Things don't go as planned for our golden-eyed Archangel (do they ever?)Not every human has an Angel as a soulmate, but every Angel has a human as a theirs. Will Christa be able to accept the truth when she finds out just how deep the bond between her and Gabriel goes? Or will she reject him forever? Can true love really conquer all?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> takes place the morning after the end of I.T. Christa's self-doubt leaves Gabriel with no choice but to reveal the truth.  
> i had originally planned for this chapter to be straight fluff but the muse had other plans.

Christa woke up to the feeling of warmth against her back. As she pulled herself out of the fog of sleep, she recalled the events of the night before. After she and Gabriel had finally confessed their feelings, they had spent the entire night showing each other exactly how loved they were. Gabriel had taken his time, worshiping every inch of skin, committing to memory every reaction, every sound she made. She had lost count of the number of orgasms Gabriel had worked her through, his angelic stamina making recovery time almost unnecessary. Every nerve of her body sung in response to the slightest touch, warmth spreading through her from every point of contact. When they were both thoroughly sated, Christa promptly curled up in Gabriel’s arms, wanting as little space between them as possible, and fell asleep.

Christa blushed as the images flashed through her mind. She was torn between the stirrings of desire and her debilitating self-esteem issues that were once again pushing their way to the front of her mind. She still couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that Gabriel loved her. Her heartbeat sped up as she worried her lip.

A hand running along her arm startled her from her thoughts, as the arm Gabriel had wrapped around her waist pulled her flush against him, his nose brushing against her neck. “Morning, sweetheart. You okay? Your heartbeat is running a mile a minute.” He nuzzled into her further and placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder.

Christa sighed and relaxed into his touch. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Just…over-thinking things, again.”

Gabriel’s free hand ran back up her arm and stroked her cheek. He stretched out a finger and placed it under her chin, tilting her face up towards him. He stared into her eyes, a calm smile on his face, silently nudging her to continue.

“I’m just still trying to process the fact that you, _you_  want me. That you love me. I-I’m not entirely convinced that this whole thing hasn’t been some crazy fever-dream. I’m afraid that any moment now, I’ll wake up, in my own bed, alone.”

Gabriel’s smile slid slightly at her words, feeling the emotions rolling off of her in waves. He could feel how deep her worry ran, disbelief and fear tinging the corners of her mind. His Grace thrummed at this realization, reaching out for her in response. He held it back, barely. He couldn’t let his Grace just do the work for him. He needed to show Christa her true worth on his own, the way a human would. He took one of her hands and placed a kiss on her palm.

“How can I convince you that you really are awake? That last night really happened? Should I…pinch you?” The arm he had around her waist snaked up and gently tweaked her sheet-covered nipple, causing Christa to let out a surprised squeal.

“Should I tickle you?” He smiled down at her as he sought out sensitive skin, not stopping till a peal of laughter rang out from his human. He could feel her nerves starting to relax, but the taint of fear still lingered. He untangled himself from her and laid her back against the pillows, pulling himself up on an elbow. Staring down at her, he traced a finger along her jaw, up to her earlobe, and down her neck and along her side.

Christa held his gaze, a sense of calm slowly working its way through her mind. That nagging self-doubt was still there though, and her smile quickly faltered. How could she ever be worthy of this glorious creature that was sharing his bed with her? She felt that she was missing a vital piece of information that would explain how any of this was possible. There had to be some cosmic catch, some awful twist of fate that would bring this whole perfect dream crashing down around her.

“Talk to me. Don’t make me resort to finally reading your mind. Your emotions are all over the place, Christa, what’s wrong?” Gabriel caressed her cheek and tried to send another gentle wave of serenity through the contact.

Christa sighed and sat up, pulling the sheet further around her, suddenly aware of how naked she still was. “I don’t know, Gabe. I don’t know how to explain it. Just, something doesn’t feel right. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, ya know? I’m a hunter, and hunters don’t get this kind of happiness. Not for long, anyway. I’m not good enough for you; if you took the time to think about it, you’d see that I’m right.”

She pulled away from his touch and started to get out of the bed, scanning the floor for her clothes.

“Christa, sweetheart, how could you even think such a thing?” Gabriel had the sense of mind to make himself more decent, a pair of pants materializing on him with a flick. “I love you. I wouldn’t have said and done everything I did last night if I wasn’t sure of that. There are some things we angels don’t take lightly, and that’s at the top of the list. Sweets, please, sit back down. I can explain everything, if you just let me show you.”

Gabriel knew now he had no choice but to tell her about the full extent of their bond. He had planned to work up to it slowly, let the connection grow a little more on its own, but this was the only thing he could think of to get her to realize how much she meant to him.

“What do you mean, ‘explain’?” Christa paused half-way through dressing, turning to look at him, confused. Her fear ramped up a notch as she finished pulling on her pants and went to sit back on the bed, facing Gabriel.

“There’s something I haven’t told you yet. Something I was going to wait to tell you, at least a little longer than this. It’s not something that’s easy to explain to humans. It’d be simpler just to show you, but for that I need your permission….to, well, to connect our minds.”

“Um, okay? How?”

“You just have to sit there and relax. I’m going to open a, link of sorts, between our minds. It’s similar to how I can read thoughts and emotions, but it goes deeper than that, and this will go both ways. I’ll be able to show you how deep our bond goes.” He reached for her hands tentatively, golden eyes searching chocolate. “I need you to express your consent. This isn’t something to be taken lightly. What I’m about to show you will change things between us; whether it’s for the better or worse is up to you.”

“Okay, I give you my permission to…” Christa trailed off, thinking of the right words to say. “To forge a connection between our minds.” _Forge? Where did that come from?_ Christa blinked, puzzled by her choice of words.

Gabriel grasped her hands in his and concentrated, his eyes starting to glow blue as the link began forming. He opened his mind fully, his Grace seeking out and dissembling any barriers between them. He felt, rather than heard her soft gasp as the connection formed between them. Once the link held firm, he sought out the knowledge he had regained last night and sent it through his Grace, careful not to flood her mind with too much information at once. It was a delicate process; human minds were sensitive, if he rushed the transfer he stood the chance of short-circuiting her brain and more often than not, damage of that nature was irreversible.

Minutes passed as he let her sort through the information at her own pace. Gabriel could feel her growing trepidation as she got closer to the truth of what they were. He tried to calm her with his Grace, but he knew it was starting to overwhelm her. He was more than tempted to break the connection, but he held fast. He knew the risks angels took when revealing themselves like this.

Suddenly, Christa let out a shuddering gasp when she finished processing what he had shown her. She sat there, blinking rapidly and tried to catch her breath as the connection between them ebbed away. She quickly pulled her hands from his grasp, eyes widening in fear and confusion.

“I…what…” Christa struggled for words, her breath still coming in shaky huffs. “I don’t understand. How…?”

“Christa, honey, calm down. Your brain just took in a lot of information. Just breathe. I’ll answer any questions you have, but right now, you need to breathe.”

She sprang up from the bed, her confusion triggering a primal flight response deep inside her mind. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. “I need to go. Please, don’t follow me. I just…I can’t be here right now. I can’t.”

“Christa-”

“No! Please! I-I need to be alone right now. Just, just let me go.” Christa crossed the room quickly and threw the door open, leaving Gabriel’s room without glancing back.

She sprinted down the hall to her room, closing the door with her weight as she leaned back against it, slowly sliding to the floor as the tears streamed down her face. She didn’t know why she was crying. She should be happy, she knew she should. What she had seen through the bond should have had her jumping for joy. Instead, it left her terrified. Of what, she wasn’t sure. She couldn’t think straight. Only one word kept running through her mind, a word that for some unknown, inexplicable reason, filled her with dread.

_Soulmates?!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lyrics in italics

_There ’ll be no strings to bind your hands_

_Not if my love can’t bind your heart_

_And there’s no need to take a stand_

_For it was I who chose to start_

_I see no need to take me home_

_I’m old enough to face the dawn_

Gabriel’s POV

 

Gabriel stared at the open door for what could have been minutes or days, to an angel lost in thought, time lost all meaning. He knew he should have waited longer before showing her the truth, but what choice did he have? Christa had been doubting herself again and he couldn’t think of anything else to prove to her that they belonged together. He had tried, and failed, to convince her any other way. Showing her that they were soulmates, that they had literally been created for each other, seemed like the only option left.

Unfortunately, Gabriel couldn’t have been more wrong. After sharing his memories with her, she freaked out and ran away, begging him to leave her alone. He had no choice but to oblige and stay put, at least for now. Angels weren’t able to make their soulmates accept them. Humans always had the final say in the matter. One of the perks of free will. Sure, Gabriel wasn’t normally a stickler for the rules, but this one couldn’t be bent. Every angel knew the risk they took when they eventually found the human that would complete them.

The only thing he could do now was give her time to calm down; it was a lot to spring on a person, the fact that soulmates were actually a real thing that happened from time to time. He would have to let Christa wrap her head around it a bit before he explained all the details. He had waited millennia for her, he could wait a little longer; he only hoped she would hear him out. He stood the risk of her rejecting him completely, and if she did that, he didn’t know if he’d be able to survive it.

Why did this have to happen to him, why now, after all this time? He had spent thousands of years on Earth without having to worry about a soulmate. His time spent as Loki had suppressed the bits of Angelic knowledge that he hadn’t considered particularly important. He had all but forgotten that somewhere, spread out along the eternal timeline, a soul existed that would complete each Angel’s Grace. Sure, every human soul had a counterpart that they were meant to find, but _these_  souls were special. While humans with human soulmates could go their whole lives without meeting each other and be no worse off for it, humans who were meant to be with an Angel would always feel slightly out of place in the world until their Angel found them; just as all Angels spent their endless existence feeling somewhat empty inside until their human came into being. The bond would literally make them whole.

And woe be it to any human whose Angel died before the bond. They would be left to spend their lives incomplete. Unable to find a lasting relationship with any other human, unable to connect with anyone on a level beyond friendship or familial love. There would always be that feeling of disconnection. Always a piece of them missing.

Rejected Angels didn’t fare much better. He would be left to spend eternity incomplete and unable to follow her into her Heaven when she eventually died. So much hinged on her decision. If she denied him the bond, it might just drive him insane. Now that he’d found her, now that he realized the truth of what she was to him, he could never get over her. He would never stop loving her. His existence would revolve around her for the rest of time, until the universe ceased to exist. Oh Father, what had he gotten himself into?

 

_Maybe the sun ’s light will be dim_

_And it won’t matter anyhow_

_If morning’s echo says we’ve sinned_

_It was what I wanted now_

_And if we’re victims of the night_

_I won’t be blinded by the light_

 

Christa’s POV

 

Soulmates! They. Were. Soulmates. How was that possible? How was that a real thing? And wasn’t it just Christa’s luck that _her_ soulmate was a freaking Angel; and not just any old angel, oh no, an _Arch_ angel! A top-tier, celestial being, just a step below Chuck himself. Sure, she knew she was falling hard for the golden-eyed feather-brain; but it was another thing altogether to find out it was literally Fated, planned out by especially God. Did she even have a choice? What happened to free will?

Her head began pounding as her thoughts swirled. She took a deep breath and tried to fight back the wave of anxiety she felt starting to rise within her. Christa had been so happy last night. Why did this have to happen? If she hadn’t been so stubbornly set against believing he could feel the same way she did, would he even have shown her the truth? Would he have just kept stringing her along, forever, letting her believe it was his _choice_  to be with her, not destiny? Maybe it would have been better that way, staying blind to the truth, basking in the glow of his forced love.

The way she had felt with him last night, she had never felt with anyone she had ever met. She had never felt so secure, so safe. No one she had ever been with had made her feel like she could trust them with her life. Heck, none of her relationships had even lasted more than a few months, even before she had become a hunter. Even if the sex had been great, she would soon realize there was little to nothing that she had in common with the person. Some of them had become good friends, some like family.

Take Sam, for instance; when Christa had first met the Winchesters, she had found herself inexplicably drawn to the tall, dark-haired hunter. They had ended up going on a couple of dates, even shared a kiss or two, but something about it had seemed, well, off. Luckily, they had both realized that before ending up in one or the others bed. Made it less awkward to just go back to being hunting partners. Eventually, she began to just see him as as much of a brother to her as Dean, though there was still some odd tug she would feel every now and then. Christa had felt one of those tugs the other day, when Sam had hugged her good-bye.

She sighed, her head in her hands as she sat against the door. All this time, she had thought her failed relationships had been due to the deep-rooted fear of rejection she’d had ever since she had gotten attacked by the werewolf that had left her neck badly scarred. Though, if Christa looked back, really looked, she knew it went back way before the day she stumbled upon the supernatural. Even back in high school, the other kids had never been more than a passing fancy. She’d felt love, sure. But never the type of love that made her heart flutter every time she thought of the person. The type of love that made her breath catch in her throat when she looked at them. None of that had ever happened until Gabriel.

Who knew that one little brush of the hand could cause so much trouble? Now here she was, head over heels for an Archangel, and finding out that he was the literal missing piece of her soul. She were tempted to stay holed up in her room until the boys got back, but when her stomach rumbled, Christa knew she would have to face Gabriel sooner or later. Better to do it while they still had the bunker to themselves. Chuck only knew what kind of craziness would ensue if the Winchesters found out about her and Gabriel before she was ready to tell them. Dean had a tendency to get all Big Brother with her when it came to guys, and this might just push him beyond his usual limits.

She got up and headed to the kitchen, desperate for a cup of strong coffee. It was going to be a long day.


	3. Chapter 3

_Just call me Angel of the morning, Angel_

_Just touch my cheek before you leave me, darling_

_Just call me Angel of the morning, Angel_

 

Christa walked into the kitchen slowly, expecting to find Gabriel waiting there for her. The room was empty and she released a sigh, half relieved, half disappointed. She knew was going to have to talk to him some time to day, but she glad to have even just a few more minutes alone to clear her head a bit more. Coffee, she needed a strong cup of coffee. Now.

She started the machine and went to grab a mug from the cupboard above the sink. That’s when she saw it. The jar of jelly that Gabriel had snapped up for her the other morning.

Christa set the mug on the counter and picked up the jar, running her fingers over the ribbon around it; she hadn’t noticed it there before. There was a tag attached to the ribbon. She opened it and read the two simple words written there in a beautiful flowing script.

_I’m sorry_

Christa sighed heavily and twisted the cap open to give it a sniff. The jelly smelled like a mixture of raspberry and currant, along with something she couldn’t quite place. She placed the cap back on and put the jar in the fridge, grabbing the creamer and went over to the coffee machine. After she made herself a cup, she hesitated. She pinched the bridge of her nose, fighting back the headache that had been pushing at the back of her skull for the past hour. She went and grabbed another mug and fixed a cup for Gabriel.

Walking out of the kitchen, she sent out a timid prayer to the Archangel. _Gabriel, you can come out now. I’m in the library._  She went and sat at one of the desks, her gaze fixed wistfully at the leather chairs as she waited for Gabriel to make his way down the hall. Staring at the chairs, the scene of last night’s mutual confession of love replayed in her mind. So much had happened in such a short time; last night seemed like a year ago. Christa shook her head to clear it as Gabriel hesitated in the doorway.

“You can come sit down, I made you a cup of coffee. Consider it a peace offering for the way I ran out on you.” She nodded him over to the table, sliding his mug over to the chair across from her. She was wary of making physical contact again just yet. “I’m sorry I freaked out like that.”

Gabriel sat down and took a sip of the coffee. He wanted so badly to reach out and take her hand in his but he could feel her anxiety rolling over in waves. He didn’t want to scare her off again. “Thanks, Sugar. Just the way I like it. Christa, look, there’s no reason for you to be sorry about all…this. I should have gone about this whole soulmate thing differently. I shouldn’t have just shown you all of that without any warning.”

Christa looked down into her coffee, her hands wrapping tighter around the ceramic to stifle the urge to grab his hand. Here he was, apologizing for something that wasn’t even his fault; not really. “Gabriel, it’s okay. Ha, looks like neither of us handled this right. I should have given you the chance to explain what you showed me. I was just, so…shocked. I mean, finding out that soulmates are a real thing? I still can’t wrap my head around it. Not fully, anyway.”

She sighed and set the mug down on the table before looking Gabriel in the eye. She chewed her bottom lip and released a nervous chuckle before continuing. “Maybe, Gabriel, do you think maybe you could answer some questions about all this? If I understood this whole thing a bit better, then I could start to process it all. I don’t want to give up on us, I just need…” _sigh_  “I don’t know what I need actually. I just know that I can’t walk away from you, I don’t even want to try.”

“Sweetheart, whatever questions you have, if I can answer them, I will.” Gabriel gave her a hopeful smile, hoping she could feel at least some of his love through their connection. “Christa, even if we weren’t soulmates, I would still love you. I’ve loved you for months now, way before our touch started the bonding process. I just had forgotten, after so many eons, that my soulmate was somewhere out there. I just got lucky that mine just so happened to be someone I was already crazy about.”

Christa’s eyes widened at his admission. “So, wait. How I felt about you, that wasn’t just because I’m your soulmate? It wasn’t just…Fate pulling me to you?”

“No, of course not. Sweetheart, is _that_  what you thought?” Gabriel let out a heavy sigh of relief and shook his head, a soft smile reaching his eyes. “Oh, Christa, no wonder you’ve been freaked out for hours. Sugar, any feelings you had for me, before or after that shock you felt the other day, that’s all you. The bond doesn’t manipulate your feelings.”

Christa’s hand flew up to her mouth and her shoulders shook with a silent chuckle. She relaxed a bit at this new information. It was so good to know she still had free will over this whole ordeal. It was hard to keep up with all the questions that ran through her mind. After thinking about it for a few seconds, she reached her hand across the table, laying it hesitantly over his. Gabriel took the offered hand and gave it a squeeze, his thumb smoothing over her knuckles. He could feel her anxiety receding a little bit and felt a fresh wave of hope towards the situation.

He raised her hand to his lips, turning it to place a small kiss to the pulse point on her wrist. When Christa made no move to pull away, he flashed her a smile and stood up. He went slowly, gauging her reaction as he came around the table. “Oh, Sugar. I’ll never understand why information about soulmates has never been made readily available to humans. All this confusion could have been avoided. Look, for now, let’s just take this whole process slow. I’ll explain everything, over time. Being soulmates with an Angel is more complicated than it is for humans. I don’t want you to just rush into the bond before you understand exactly what you’re getting into.”

Christa smiled up at him and stood up from her chair. She pulled him into a hug, content for the moment with the fact that she was still in control of herself. She pulled back to look him in the face. “So, will we be able to take this one step at time? I mean, is there some kind of time limit before I have to choose whether to go further with the bonding?”

“We’ve got all the time in the world, sweets. I’ll go as fast or slow as you need me to.” Gabriel winked down at her.

She rolled her eyes at his sly innuendo and chuckled, “Oh, Gabe, really? I think I’m at least going to need breakfast first, before you start trying to get me back into bed. Besides, the boys will be back this evening and we need to think of a way to explain all this to them. I’m sure Cas will understand, but Sam and Dean…I’m not sure how well it will go over.”

“Well, it’s beyond their control anyways, so they’ll just have to deal with it.” Gabriel leaned in for a kiss, his love pouring through the contact to her, surrounding her soul with its warmth.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys get back from the hunt and find out what happened while they were gone.

Christa and Gabriel had spent a good part of the day going over the bond and what it entailed. Christa would ask him a question here and there as they went about making breakfast, Gabriel answering as best he could. Once or twice he couldn’t find the words to explain it so he would show her. She was slowly getting used to the sensation of being connected to his mind. The first time it had happened, she had been to caught up in the moment to really take in the experience.

This time she took the time to appreciate it. Instead of projecting the information over to her, like last time, he let her into his mind. Being able to travel with him through his Grace, it was breath-taking. She almost felt like she was intruding on something not meant for mortal eyes. After all, his Grace was basically the essence of his being, the equivalent of her soul.

Once she had found the information she’d been looking for, he would slowly bring them back through the wavelengths, returning her consciousness to her own mind. When her eyes snapped open, there was a faint blue glow to them as the connection faded away. Each time, she would gasp, releasing a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

“Will I ever get used to that?” Christa asked him after the second trip through his Grace.

“It might take some time, but I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it. So, do understand now, what I was trying to say about we differ from human soulmates?” Gabriel kept hold of one of her hands, helping to ground her as the new information processed.

“Yeah, I think so. I think I like Chuck a little less now. I mean, how many humans have had to go their whole lives alone because their Angel died before they met?” A shiver ran through her at the thought. “It’s really not fair to the human or the Angel that they can’t find lasting love with anyone else, before or after. For an Angel to have to wait so long before feeling that kind of closeness, why would he do such a thing?”

“Dad didn’t exactly think it all the way through beforehand, and once he’d done it, he couldn’t change it. I know he would have taken it back if he could, but it was already to late. We’ve learned to manage as best we can; most of our time is spent carrying out orders anyway so we stayed busy.” Gabriel pulled Christa close, trying to soothe the sadness he could feel through the bond. “When I left Heaven all those centuries ago, I was able to forget about that part of our existence. That’s why I didn’t realize what had started between us at first. I mean, it sparked something in the back of my mind, but I couldn’t quite place it.”

“Now that we’ve met and the connection has started, what happens if one of us dies before we complete the bond?”

“Sugar, I’m never going to let anything happen to you, ever. And you know me, I’m too stubborn to die.” Gabriel placed a kiss to the top of her head and rubbed her shoulders, trying to turn the conversation back to lighter topics. “Anyways, Christa, now that the connection has started, we’ll always know if the other is in any danger. I’ll always be able to find you, and I’ll be able to teach you how to do the same. Now, if there’s no more questions for the moment, let’s get back to figuring out how we’re going to break the news to the Dynamic Duo.”

 

The two of them spent the next hour or so going over what exactly to say about their new found relationship. Christa figured it would probably go over a whole lot better if the Winchesters, especially Dean, had full bellies first. Sam sent her a text around 2 o’clock letting them know they’d be back around five or six so she went about baking a couple of fresh pies for dessert before cooking up a bunch of bacon cheeseburgers and making a big salad, knowing Sam would appreciate the option.

“You know I could have just snapped all this up?”

“Yeah, but it helped me to pass the time. Kept my mind occupied.” Christa put the finishing touches to the table and checked the time. “They should be here soon. I’m gonna go change real quick, okay?”

Gabriel gave her a quick kiss. “It’ll be fine, trust me.”

Christa went to her room and slipped out of her clothes. She threw on a pair of jeans and picked out one of her t-shirts from the closet. As she sat on her bed to put on a pair of shoes, she took a moment to clear her head. _Get a grip. It’s not like your introducing him to your parents. It’s just Sam and Dean, they’ll understand. Even if they don’t, there’s nothing they can do to change it._  As she thought about Sam, Christa felt an undercurrent of that tug she had felt a few times before. She brushed it off as nothing more than nerves and finished getting ready. As she walked out into the hallway, she got a text from Sam saying they were about ten minutes out.

 

With two minutes to spare, the door to the bunker opened and Sam, Dean, and Cas came thudding down the stairs. Dean set his duffle down and stretched loudly. “Sam, next time we’re doing four hour shifts instead of six. Christa, we’re back!”

The trio walked into the war room, smiles pulling at their faces as they took in the small feast set out before them. Christa came out of the kitchen holding a six pack of beer in each hand, Gabriel following close behind. She set down the beer and went to hug the guys, still nervous about telling them the news, but happy that they were finally back safe and sound.

“Hey, guys. Rough hunt, huh? Guess those vamps even gave Cas a run for his money if it took an extra day.” She tousled Cas’ hair and winked at him to let him know she was just teasing.

“Ha, ha, Christa. Maybe if we’d had a fourth, like usual, it wouldn’t have taken as long.” Dean rolled his eyes and pulled her into a crushing hug. “Nah, it was just a few extra munchers than we expected. Hope you enjoyed your little break. Did you make all this, or did Halo over there snap it up?”

“I made it. Even baked a couple pies for dessert.” Christa chanced a look back at Gabriel and saw him narrow his eyes in Dean’s direction, less than amused at his jibe. “And Gabe helped actually, so maybe cut him some slack?”

“He did”, Sam spoke up as Christa walked over to him, his eyes widened in surprise. “That’s unexpected. Anything interesting happen while we were gone?”

Christa tried to side-step the question with a non-committal response as she hugged him, her face turned into his shirt to muffle her words. He let out a soft ‘hmm’ and placed a kiss to the top of her head before releasing her. Christa pulled out of the hug, feeling a slight buzz of irritation through the bond.

“Anyway, let’s eat before the food gets cold”, Gabriel huffed. He waited for Christa to sit and took the seat beside her.

Castiel sat across from him, a look of confusion on his face as he stared at his brother. Gabriel just gave a small shake of his head before the Winchesters could notice. Sam took the seat at the head of the table, on Christa’s other side; Dean sat across from her, next to Cas. She couldn’t help but feel a bit trapped, and when her anxiety started seeping through the bond to Gabriel, his hand found hers under the table. He gave it a squeeze and sent a wave out a of calm through the contact before letting go.

Everybody dug in to their dinner and relaxed, conversations turning to a recap of the hunt. As the boys finished the last of their burgers, Christa excused herself to get the pies from the kitchen. _Gabe _.__  Hearing the plaintive tone in the thought, Gabriel waited a minute before following her to ‘lend a hand’.

“Sugar, you okay?”

“Just needed a minute alone with you. I just keep worrying that their gonna freak out when we tell them. I mean, we’re also going to have to explain about soulmates existing in the first place. I’m sure if they knew they would have mentioned it at some point.”

Gabriel wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him for a moment. His other hand cupped her face as he looked down at her. He gave her a lingering kiss before pulling back, his thumb tracing over her bottom lip. “You have nothing to worry about, sweetheart. Nothing between the three of you has to change because of this, and if Dean starts to get pissy, I can handle it. If you want, I can do all the talking.”

“No, we’re in this together. Alright, let’s go get this over with.” Christa grabbed the pies and Gabriel lead the way, plates and utensils in hand.

“Pie!” Dean rubbed his hands together, grinning like a child as Christa cut an extra large slice for him. He scooped up a forkful as soon as she set down his plate, grunting in approval as he chewed. “‘S excellent, Chritha.”

“Dean, gross. Could you not talk with your mouth full?” Sam shook his head at his brother as he accepted his plate from Christa with a grin. “Well, looks like it’s got the Dean Winchester stamp of approval. Thanks, Christa, Gabriel. You guys out did yourselves tonight.”

“Well, there’s kind of a reason for that. After you guys finish eating, there’s something we need to talk about.”

Christa sat down and took a bite of her pie, avoiding the three sets of eyes watching her in various states of confusion. Castiel was the first to look away, turning his glance to Gabriel instead. Dean soon gave up and went back to eating his pie. Sam, on the other hand, kept casting looks over at her as he ate. The room was quiet except for the clinking of silverware on ceramic. All too soon, plates were cleared and snapped away. The Winchesters looked over at you expectantly; Castiel still stared at Gabriel, eyes narrowed as if channeling x-ray vision.

“Okay, Christa, what’s so big that you felt the need to butter us up with all this before telling us about it?” Dean leaned back in his chair and his patented Concerned Big Brother frown marred his features.

Christa sighed, her hand snaking under the table, seeking out Gabriel’s. He ran his thumb over the back of her hand, the motion grounding her as she cleared her throat to speak. “Well, uh, there’s no easy way to say this…it turns out soulmates? They’re real. Turns out, everyone’s got one. And it just so happens that Gabriel’s mine.”

Christa grimaced as she waited for them to respond. Dean was unexpectedly calm, his eyebrow raised in surprise. A look of clarity and understanding dawned on Castiel’s face as the information sunk in. Sam was by far the most shocked by the news. His expression was somewhere between utterly dumbfounded and mortified. His face paled and his jaw went slack.

“Well, somebody say _something_. The girl just dropped a bombshell, and you’re all silent as the grave.” Gabriel furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at their reactions. “Maybe we broke them.”

“You didn’t break us, Halo. Look, I’m not exactly happy that you’re the one who ended up being Christa’s soulmate, but I know there’s nothing I can do about it.” Dean heaved a resigned sigh and looked over at Cas. “Guess we might as well let them know now.”

“Let us know what? Dean, why are you not more shocked by the fact that soulmates exist? Brother, did you tell him already?”

“Gabriel, brother, Dean is my soulmate. We bonded years ago.”  
”What the hell, Dean? You knew about soulmates, and you never thought to share with the class?” Sam finally spoke, his shock slowly turning to anger. “You’d think you would at least share the fact that you have a freaking angel for a soulmate, with your own brother of all people! Were you ever going to say something?”

“Sam, do not be mad at Dean. I asked him to keep quiet about it for now. I thought it best. The less people that know we’re bonded, the safer Dean will be. I apologize for keeping you in the dark.”

Christa looked over at Gabriel, confused as could be at how this conversation had turned out. “Did you know they were bonded?”

“I suspected, but never dared to ask. If my little bro wanted to tell me, he would have. Some Angels are very private about their soulmates.”

Sam was still glowering over at Dean but it was fading. He sighed and turned to look at Christa. “So, do either of _you_ mind explaining this whole soulmate thing?”

“Gabriel’s the one to ask, I’ve still got a list of questions myself.”

Sam nodded and an unnameable emotion darkened his eyes for a second. “But you’re okay with this, right? I mean, neither of you are being forced into this by, like, Fate or Chuck or anything?”

“That was my initial concern too, but no. We’re not being manipulated by anyone. And, actually, I’ve had feelings for Gabriel for months now.” Christa gave him a reassuring smile. “Same with him; apparently that’s why he’s been avoiding me so much. Someone isn’t so great at confronting his feelings.”

Gabriel gave her hand a squeeze. “Very funny. Don’t act like I’m the only one who didn’t admit their feelings till after the connection was made. Look, I know this is a lot to take in, Sam. Just know, I would never do anything to hurt Christa. I actually can’t, even under duress. With Angels, our human soulmate is literally the missing piece of ourselves. Her soul completes my Grace.”

“Look, Sam, I’m sorry I never told you. But like Cas said, we thought it was safer if no one knew.” Dean cleared his throat and stood up. “We can talk in the morning if you want, but I’m beat. Don’t bombard them with too many questions tonight, alright Sammy? Christa’s probably just as confused by this whole thing as you are. Cas?”

Castiel got up from his seat and walked around to pull Christa into a hug. “Gabriel is very lucky to have you, and if he ever forgets it, let me know and I’ll set him right.”

“I heard that.”

Cas barked a laugh and kissed Christa on the cheek before following Dean down the hallway. Sam shook his head to clear it and looked over at Gabriel, noting how the Archangel had maintained contact with Christa even while Cas had hugged her. There was a brief flash of regret in his eyes as he stared at their joined hands.

“So, this whole ‘bond’ thing, do you two get a choice in the matter?”

“Well, the first part of the connection is automatic. Her hand brushed against mine the other day and that made her soul aware of my Grace’s presence, and vice versa. They recognized each other as parts of a whole.” Gabriel paused, his arm wrapping around Christa’s shoulder and rubbed her arm. “Once that happened, it awoke our consciousnesses to each others, allowing us to get a sense of what the other is feeling. That part of it will strengthen over time.”

Gabriel gave Sam a minute to take in the information before continuing, this time speaking as much to Christa as he was to Sam. “As for the rest of it, the actual bond only gets completed if Christa wants to go through with it. Humans get the final choice in the matter. An Angel could never force the bond on their ‘mate. Honestly, it’s probably the smartest bit Dad decided to add into the whole process. Angels can be quite pushy given the option.”

Christa looked over at Gabriel, surprised. She hadn’t thought to ask about that yet. She’d been under the impression that they both had a say in it. This new knowledge saddened her; she resolved to give him as much say in this as she had. It wouldn’t be fair to him to choose for them both. _Gabriel. I won’t make this decision on my own, it’s your life too._

Gabriel smiled at her and placed a tender kiss to her forehead. “Thank you, Sugar. Cas was right, I’m damned lucky to have you.”

Sam shifted awkwardly in his chair as he watched their exchange. He was starting to feel as though he were intruding. “Look, I think I’ve bothered you guys enough for tonight. I’m gonna head to bed now. If you need anything, either of you, just let me know.”

The hunter got up and started to head out of the war room. Christa stood up suddenly and grabbed his hand. He turned to her, confused.

“Sam, thank you for being so understanding about all this. We, __I__  was worried everyone would freak out. I kinda thought I’d have to defend Gabriel a bit. I’ll try to keep you in the loop about the whole thing. I think we should keep a record of it, for future Letter members.” Christa pulled him into a hug and he gave her a quick peck on the cheek before he stepped out of the embrace. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Good night, Christa. Gabriel.”

“Night, Sam.” Christa turned to Gabriel and let out a shaky laugh. “That…Of all the ways I saw tonight going, that was not one of them. Ha, well, at least Dean didn’t loose his shit.”

“I told you everything would be okay. C’mere.” Gabriel pulled her into his lap, arms winding around her waist, and nuzzled into her neck. “For all the shit I talk about the Winchesters, they really aren’t that bad. We’ll figure this out, together. Step by step.”

Christa felt Gabriel’s love through the bond and let it wash over her, glad that the night had gone okay. Neither of them heard Sam’s bedroom door slam, and if either of them felt a half-second tremor in the bond, they didn’t acknowledge it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> debating whether to add some more angst to the next chapter or not. we shall see.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> not much plot to this chapter, just enough to lead to the smut.  
> SPN Kink Bingo square used: Wing kink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first time writing wing kink but i think i did pretty well.

****Later that night** **

 

_Gabe!_

Gabriel popped into her room with a soft flutter of wings the instant her mind called out to him. Christa was sleeping fitfully, tossing and turning on the bed, her sheets twisted around her limbs. The Archangel walked quietly across the room to her bed and sat down. He was sorely tempted to find out what her nightmare was, what could make her project her fear so loudly. Instead, he simply brushed the hair from her forehead, letting his Grace wash over her through the bond. She soon settled, her nightmare over. Christa slowly woke up, leaning in to his touch.

“Hey, Sugar. You called out for me; must’ve been a pretty bad dream. Feel like talking about it?”

Christa sat up, immediately snuggling into Gabriel’s offered hug. “You were gone. Not dead, at least I don’t think you were. I just couldn’t find you. I looked everywhere, it felt like ages. I kept praying for you, screaming for you. Nothing. Cas was there; he didn’t even remember you. Oh, Gabriel!”

The blond Angel held her tight, rubbing soothing circles along her arm. “Christa, sweetheart, I’m here. I’m not going anywhere unless you tell me to, okay? Nothing’s gonna take me away from you, just breathe. Breathe, Sugar.”

“Can you stay here tonight?” Christa looked up at Gabriel, her plea echoing through the bond.

“Of course, cupcake. Scooch over a bit.”

Christa moved back a little so Gabriel could settle in after kicking off his shoes. He situated himself under the covers and pulled her back into his embrace, hoping to soothe her through the contact. She turned in his arms, her hand snaking around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. Gabriel let her take the lead, his lips parting when her tongue brushed over them. He kept the pace slow, tender. Christa didn’t want the kiss to end, but eventually she needed air. She took the opportunity to start unbuttoning his shirt, placing small kisses to his neck.

“Sugar, you sure? Thought we were gonna take this slow for now?” Gabriel let out a shaky breath as she nipped at his pulse point.

“We are taking it slow, doesn’t mean we can’t still do this. Please, Gabriel, I need you.”

That was all he needed to hear. He gently rolled Christa onto her back, pulling off his now open shirt and hovering over her. He leaned down and kissed her deeply. She moaned into him, her hands roaming over his chest and up around to the back of his neck, her fingers carding through his hair. His lips left hers to trail a path of nips and kisses down her neck to the edge of the tank top she’d worn to bed.

Gabriel leaned back to look up at Christa. Her eyes had closed but fluttered open at loss of contact. She smiled at him softly, reassuring him through the bond that this was what she wanted. He lifted the top off of her and swooped in to continue his path down her chest, nipping at the skin between her breasts before sucking a nipple between his lips. Christa let out a low moan and Gabriel could feel her pleasure radiating through the bond.

She arched up and ran her nails down his back, Gabriel letting out an aroused hiss in response as his Grace let out a small flare of energy. He channeled it through their connection to keep it from clouding his mind. As it reached her, she let out a gasp, her eyes flashing up to his. The tiniest spark of blue showed within her pupils, mirroring his. Emboldened by the sudden rush of pleasure, she ran a hand to his chin, lifting his head off of her breast and leaning up to crush her lips to his. Distracted by the suddenness of her actions, the Archangel was caught by surprise when she managed to maneuver him beneath her, the sheets tossed back toward the foot of the bed. She straddled his hips and broke the kiss, her hands roaming over the slight muscles of his chest, down over the small bump of his stomach. He was hard and soft in all the right places and she loved it. His vessel reflected his personality perfectly and in her eyes, he was the most beautiful being she’d ever seen.

Before he could recover and question her, Christa leaned down and began her own path down _his_  body, licking and nipping his skin, seeking out all those sounds he’d drawn from her. She slid down his body, relishing each low groan. Gabriel let himself relax under ministrations, his cock growing harder every time her teeth scraped against his skin. His head fell back against the pillows and his hands fisted the sheets at his sides. When Christa reached the hem of his jeans, she looked up at him, bottom lip tucked between her teeth, her eyes darkened with lust.

“You were so good to me last night, Angel, fucking me so perfectly. But you didn’t let me taste you. It’s my turn to make you feel good.”

Gabriel let out a shaky breath, another wave rushing through the bond. By this point, he could no longer tell which of them it originated from; by now it didn’t matter. His dark-haired huntress sat up and popped the button of his pants, sliding the zipper down agonizingly slowly. The lack of pressure against his erection made him breathe a sigh of relief. Christa pulled down his jeans and boxers in one swoop, Gabriel shifting beneath her to kick them off completely.

His cock bobbed up against his stomach, a drop of pre-cum beading at the tip. Christa settled herself between his legs, her fingers digging into his hips as she dipped her head down to lick a long stripe up his length. Gabriel shuddered at the warmth of her tongue and lifted his head to look down at her. She swirled her tongue over the tip, moaning at the taste of him. She took the head of his cock into her mouth, looking up at him through half-lidded eyes as his hand slid up to caress her cheek before tangling in her hair.

“Fuck, you’re good at that, cupcake. Mmm, my sweet girl…oh, shit!”

Christa swallowed his cock as far as she could take him at that angle, one hand leaving his hip to wrap around the rest and started pumping him in time to the bobbing of her head. The euphoria traveling back and forth through their connection was slowly making her heady. She closed her eyes for a second to focus on Gabriel’s emotions. Christa could feel an overwhelming amount of love interspersed through the arousal and she could just make out a kernel of awe and wonder.

An image flashed from his mind, just a glimpse, causing her to gasp around him. The image was a projection of how he saw her. Fierce, beautiful, she radiated light and strength. She hardly recognized the woman she saw in his mind. That woman was a warrior, perfect; a tear welled up in the corner of her eye as she took in his perception of her. She released him with a pop, shaking her head to clear it before licking back down his cock, following the vein that stood out along his length.

Gabriel was soon rambling beneath her, her hand moving down to cup his balls, squeezing gently every so often. She sucked him back down her throat, moaning in response to the noises tumbling from his lips.

“Shit, Christa! Oh, fuck, Sugar. Fuck, that feels good”, Gabriel gripped her hair and started thrusting slowly, Christa bobbing in tandem, her lips suctioned around him perfectly. “Just like that. Shit…so good, oh fuck sweetheart. Gonna come, Sugar. Fuck, gonna co…ah!”

Christa upped her efforts, working him over the edge and swallowing down every spurt he released. It wasn’t the first time she’d done it, but it was the first time she had actually liked it. The taste of him sliding down her throat only increased her arousal. She kept at it until he was trembling below her, pulling off of him with a wet pop. Gabriel’s chest heaved with the effort of restraining his Grace, wanting so badly to claim her then and there. He pulled her up his body with ease and wasted no time in pulling her head down to his. He kissed her roughly, tasting himself on her tongue. His arms wrapped around her back, pulling her flush against him before flipping them over. As her head hit the pillows, he ran a hand down her side, reaching between them to slip inside the sweats she had worn to bed. His fingers smoothed over her mound, the warmth of his skin sinking through cotton, as his lips continued to devour her. He slipped one finger under her panties, seeking out her core. He swallowed down her moan as the digit slid into her. Christa bucked against him as he crooked his finger and he broke the kiss, eyes black with lust.

“You’re fucking soaked, Sugar. All this for me? Huh, cupcake, are you dripping like this for me?”

“For you, Angel. Only for you. Oh, fuck”, Christa whined. “More. Gabe, please!”

“Fuck, I love how you sound right now, all needy and pleading for me. Tell me, sweets. Tell me what you need.” Gabriel stilled the finger within her, a teasing smirk on his lips as he looked down at her.

“Fuck…”Christa ground against his hand, seeking friction. “You. Gabriel, I need you.”

Gabriel removed his hand from her sweats, smirk widening when she whimpered at the loss. He sucked his finger clean before snapping away her remaining clothing, leaving her finally bare beneath him. He maneuvered himself between her legs, spreading them wide eagerly. He parted her lips and licked a long, slow stripe up from her core to her clit. Christa let out a high-pitched keen. The Archangel lifted his head for a second.

“Hmm. I like that.” He snapped his fingers again. “Sound-proofing; don’t want you holding back any of those beautiful sounds, Sugar. Want to hear you sing for me.”

Gabriel dove back down, latching onto her clit. She bucked into his mouth, her hands shooting out to grasp at his hair, thighs clenching around his head. He let off her clit, blowing a breath over it as she squirmed. Licking into her dripping hole, she writhed beneath him, pleasure surrounding them both through the bond. He could feel how aroused she was and he could feel himself getting hard again already. Gabriel slid two fingers inside her, searching out that spot that had elicited such sweet music from her lips the night before. When she gasped and moaned beneath him, he crooked his fingers, building her slowly up to that delicious peak.

“Sing for me, sweetheart. Let me hear you. Fuck, you’re so beautiful. Can you feel how much I want you, Sugar? I can feel how close you are. Don’t hold out on me now, Christa.” Gabriel started pumping his fingers and began licking and nipping around her center as she obliged his request.

“Oh…fuck. Gabriel, oh shit, that feels so good. Oh, my perfect Angel, yes. Yes, I can feel it. Mmm, fuck! So close, baby. So close.” Christa ground against him, pulling his head right where she needed it. “Fuck, Angel! Need to come, please. Say it, Gabe, say it.”

Gabriel lifted his head, eyes flashing blue and watched her coming undone. “Oh, my beautiful huntress, come for me. Come for me, Christa. Let it go.”

“Fuck, Gabriel! For you, just for you, my Angel, my Gabriel. Ah….!”

Christa felt the coil snap as she tumbled over the edge. Gabriel dipped back down to lap her up, fingers still pumping, drawing out her orgasm until she was a babbling mess of shuddering nerves. His other hand snaked over her, rubbing soothing circles as she came down. When she settled, he withdrew his fingers carefully and licked them clean before sitting up.

He looked down at her, his lips still glistening glistening with her juices. Christa smiled up at him, still blissed out, and reached out to let the tips of her fingers trace across his stomach. Would she ever get used to these mind-blowing orgasms?

“Shit, Gabriel, how are you so good at that?”

“You sound surprised. I have had eons to hone my skills, you know. Tsk, I felt that, cupcake.” Gabriel leaned over her, brow quirked up as he stared down at her. “No need to feel jealous, my sweet, none of them could compare to you. The sounds you make, the way you taste. Fuck Sugar, you are perfect.”

“Hmm, did you also hone that silver-tongue of yours over the eons, or does it just come natural?” Christa smirked at him reassuringly and pulled him down for a deep kiss. “Feels like someone’s ready to go again. Guess this is another one of those perks of being Soulmates with an Archangel, huh?”

Gabriel rolled his hips, his hard cock pressing against her thigh. “One you might yet come to regret, Sugar. If the world didn’t need you out there saving it’s ass all the time, you’d never leave this bed.”

“Oh, really? Don’t tempt me.” Christa slid a hand between them, wrapping her fingers around him and giving a light squeeze. “Fuck me, Gabriel.”

“With pleasure, Huntress.” Gabriel nudged her legs apart, reaching between them to make sure she was ready. “Mmph, still so wet for me, Sugar.”

His hand replaced hers around his aching cock and he rubbed it through her folds teasingly. His eyes glowed blue for a second before he slipped into her, Christa gasping at the coolness of the lube he’d mojo’d up. He stilled to let her adjust before sliding in deeper. She moaned out at the feeling of fullness and pushed down to take him in completely. Gabriel let out a deep groan as he bottomed out, his hands coming to grip at her hips.

“Fuck, sweetheart, how are still so tight? Oh, shit you feel so good around me.” Gabriel gave a shallow thrust, teasing out a whine from his lover’s lips. “Speak to me, honey. What do you want?”

“Fuck me, Angel. I won’t break. ‘Sides, even if I do, you can just fix me back up.” Christa flashed a sultry smirk up at him as she pulled his head down for a kiss.

Her words were like a trigger and he pulled out until just the tip was still in her before slamming back in, sheathing his cock within her in one stroke. He thrust into her again, her hips moving to meet him and her legs wrapping around him as he pulled back from the kiss to watch her.

Christa’s hands gripped at his neck and shoulder, tugging at the end of his honeyed locks. She could feel the euphoria building up in the bond again, and fought to keep her head clear. She didn’t want it to be over too soon. She let her head fall back against the pillows, her hands sliding down to roam over his torso, the feeling of his skin beneath her fingers grounding her.

Gabriel felt her intentions through the bond, and, eager to draw it out as long as possible himself, slowed his thrusts while keeping them just as deep. He could sense a question forming in her mind and quirked an eyebrow at her.

“What’s going in there, sweets? Talk to me.”

Christa hesitated before answering, worrying her lip between her teeth. “Could you…can I see your wings?”

“You want to see my wings?” Gabriel’s eyes widened. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but this was a surprise.

“I mean, as your Soulmate, I should be able to see them without my eyes burning out, right? And, well, I’m curious. You don’t have to if it’s too soon…”

Gabriel cut off her sentence with a kiss, rolling his hips as he did. She squealed into the kiss, her back arching off the bed. He trailed a path of kisses to her ear, nipping at her earlobe, his breath ghosting over her.

“Close your eyes, Sugar.”

Gabriel sat up, making sure her eyes were completely shut before focusing his Grace. He let his primary set of wings pull through to the earthly plane. A bright flash of blue light lit up the room for a couple of seconds as his wings unfurled around him, tips brushing against the walls. When the light dimmed down, he reached out a hand to caress Christa’s cheek.

“You can open them now.”

Christa opened her eyes slowly, gasping loudly as she took in the sight above her. They were beautiful. A tear stung at her eye as she tried to remember how to breathe. She started to reach a hand towards them but hesitated, unsure.

“Can…can I touch them?”

Gabriel nodded, a smile beaming across his face as he angled his wings closer to her. She ran her fingers through the golden feathers of his right wing, momentarily speechless. Christa let her mind speak for her in the bond. _They’re beautiful, Gabriel. Just like you._

“I’m glad you think so, you’re the first human who’s ever seen them.” Gabriel’s wings fluttered happily at her compliment.

Christa swallowed and found her voice. “I thought Archangel’s had six wings?”

“We do. I didn’t want to test the bond too much just yet.” Gabriel’s eyes closed as her fingers continued their journey over the wing, a purr-like rumble vibrating through his chest.

“Hmm, you like that, Angel?” Christa smiled up him coyly; when he nodded she let out a soft chuckle and delved deeper through the honey-colored feathers. “How about…this?”

Her fingers ran down his wing, noting how the shades of yellow varied from a bright gold to a rich butterscotch color nearing caramel the closer she got to where wing met flesh. She was mesmerized by the combination of the sounds she drew from him and the soft down beneath her fingertips. Gabriel had resumed thrusting into to her slowly, a soft sheen of sweat beading on his skin from the effort of his restraint. Christa wrapped her arms around his torso, clutching at the feathers near his shoulder blades, caught up in the emotions flowing through the bond.

“Oh, fuck! Ahh!” Gabriel thrust deeply into her, his head thrown back and his eyes screwed shut.

“What?! Did I hurt you?” Christa let go of his wings immediately, eyes wide with worry.

Gabriel looked down at her, eyes glowing, and shook his head. “No, Sugar. Felt so fucking good. Don’t stop, cupcake, please don’t fucking stop!”

Christa let her fingers smooth back through his feathers, giving a testing tug. He moaned and resumed thrusting into her, letting out little tendrils of Grace along her skin. He knew he wouldn’t last much longer with her touching him like that and needed to make sure she’d be right there with him when he came.

“Fuck, Sugar. Right there, just like that, honey.” Gabriel panted and gave his head a small shake, trying to keep his focus. His Grace slid over her, teasing out a squeal of surprise when she felt invisible fingers pinching her nipple. “That’s right, Sugar. Sing for me.”

“Fuck, Gabriel!” She tugged at his feathers with both hands, a sensory overload taking hold as his Grace traveled down to her clit and a loud string of filth tumbled from his lips. “Oh, Angel!”

Gabriel could feel her getting close through the bond and gripped tightly at her hips, doubling his efforts as he pounded into her. “Shit, Christa, you’re so fucking perfect. Taking my cock so well, knowing just where to fucking touch me! Are you close, my perfect human? You gonna come for your Angel, sweetheart?

“Yes, fuck…yes! Oh, shit, Gabriel.” Christa let off his wing with one hand, scratching her nails down his back as she thrashed beneath him. She could feel her orgasm barreling toward her and tightened her grip on his feathers.

“Come…ah, come for me, my Huntress. Let go, Sugar.”

With one final cry of “Angel!”, she felt the coil snap as her climax washed over her. She writhed under him, her mouth open in a silent scream as he continued thrusting into her, drawing out the orgasm as he chased his.

“Hold on, Sugar. Fuck…just hold on.” Gabriel pumped within her a few more times, her walls clamped down on his aching cock and tumbled over the edge.

He threw his head back as his eyes flashed with Grace, straining to keep it in check as he spilled into her. He slowed his thrusts as they rode out their highs, his hands loosening from her hips to run over her flesh. He let his Grace soothe her, biting back a chuckle as he felt her shiver beneath him.

As a calm settled over them, Gabriel gently pulled out of her, careful of her oversensitive nub. He laid out beside her, wings angling up and behind him. Christa turned to face him, her eyes drooping sleepily. She reached out and ran a thumb over his chin, leaning in and kissing him softly.

“I love you, Gabriel. Fuck, I’m so lucky you’re mine.”

Gabriel wrapped his arm over her waist, a wing draping over to cocoon her in its soft warmth. “I thought we settled this. _I’m_  the lucky one. I couldn’t have created a better soulmate if I tried. I love you, Sugar.”

Christa snuggled into him, drifting off to sleep as his love poured through the bond. Gabriel laid his chin on top of her head, ready to soothe away any more nightmares that threatened her peaceful rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> enjoy the bliss while you can, i feel angst coming on. cuz, when have things ever gone perfect for Gabe?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The growing bond's side effects take their toll on Christa and she turns to the boys for comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chri pronounced Kree

 

_ Then slowly turn away _

 

The next few days went by in a blur. Christa’s head swam with everything she’d learned about the bonding process. Gabriel had been more than happy to answer any question that popped into her head. Even Dean had answered a few questions about what to expect after the bond, since it wasn’t a subject that was commonly talked about from a human perspective. Christa was grateful that Dean was willing to help her with this. He would understand the gravity of what she was going through. 

Day by day, the connection between Christa and Gabriel grew stronger. About a week after it started, she was beginning to be able to sense where in the bunker Gabriel happened to be. Gabriel had been able to feel her presence as she neared the library, searching him out. It was hard to explain how they were able to sense each other like that; it was as though they were being put on auto-pilot, only knowing it was the right direction as a barely noticed tightness in their chests eased up the closer they got to each other.

Christa wasn’t sure if it was part of the bond or simply par for the course of a budding relationship, but she felt compelled to spend as much time as she could with Gabriel. Not that he was complaining. The Archangel’s personality seemed to tone down a bit lately. Most of his free time spent with his huntress instead of popping off to Chuck-knows-where when they weren’t busy with a hunt. 

 

Hunts themselves were another matter entirely. The first time Christa had gone out on a hunt with the boys since the whole process started, Gabriel insisted he come with them. Christa was surprised at first, but she could feel how strong the need was for him to remain close enough to keep her safe. That hunt had gone without incident, but the next one had led them to their first fight. 

Gabriel’s inability to let her out of his sight during the investigation of the victims had started to wear on her early in the hunt. She was slowly starting to feel a bit claustrophobic with the lack of space he was giving her lately as the bond strengthened. She knew it was harder for Angels than it was for humans during this part of the process, but that didn’t make it any easier to have Gabriel hovering over her all the time. He knew she could take care of herself in a fight, but his Grace was constantly on high alert for any danger that could separate them. It was getting harder for him to concentrate when she wasn’t easily within reach. Whenever she needed to leave a room, he could feel the bond compelling him to follow her. He tried his best to refrain from always being right behind her but he could tell it was starting to get to her. 

By the time she had finished questioning the little old lady who lived next to one of the victims, she’d had it. As soon as they made it back to the motel, she rounded on him.

“Dammit, Gabriel! How am I supposed to concentrate on anything with you breathing down my neck? I get that you have this need to be around me, but that doesn’t mean you can’t give me at least a foot of space. I was in no danger from that sweet woman, you had no reason to worry.” 

Gabriel listened to her rant, surprise-widened eyes soon narrowing with worry as her anger flashed through the bond. He approached her slowly, hands up in placation as he chose his words carefully. 

“Sugar, look, I know I’m being a pain in the ass. I’m trying to rein it in, but half the time I don’t even notice when I’m moving closer to you. It just…happens.” He took one of her hands in his, his thumb rubbing soothing circles over her skin. “It’s harder when we’re on a hunt, repressing the bond. Knowing that lurking around every corner, there could be some demon or monster just waiting to take you from me. I’m sorry, Christa, truly.”

Christa sighed and shook her head, easing her hand from his. 

“Gabe, I know you’re not willfully trying to bother me, but it doesn’t change the fact that you’re driving me up the freakin’ wall here. Look, I’m gonna go meet up with boys, see what they were able to find out. Why don’t you just, I don’t know, go check in with Cas or something? If something happens, I’ll call for you.” She headed over to her duffle to grab a change of clothes, pointedly avoiding the dejected look on Gabriel’s face as she brushed past him. “I think it’ll do us both some good if we spend a couple of hours apart.”

She closed her eyes and heaved a sigh as Gabriel flew off wordlessly, the soft whoosh of his wings the only sign he had left. Christa quickly changed into her regular clothes and headed over to the room Sam and Dean were staying in. Maybe Dean could offer some advice on how to deal with this part of the bond. Surely, Castiel must’ve been just as bad as Gabriel, if not worse, given Dean’s proclivity to winding up in dangerous situations.

Sam answered the door, taking in the weary look on Christa's and let her in the room. She sat down in one of the rickety chairs in the small dining area, looking around for Dean.

"What's happened? You look upset."

"It's Gabriel. He's getting on my last nerve with his constant...well, everything. Is Dean here? I was hoping he might be able to help, y'know, seeing as how he's kinda the only person I can turn to for insight on this whole process."

Sam popped the cap on a couple of beers, handing her one. Christa took a sip from the bottle, failing to notice the slightly wounded look that flitted across his face. He sat in the chair across from her, taking a long pull from his own beer.

"Uh, yeah. He's in the bathroom, should be out in a minute. So, where's Gabriel now?"

"I told him to go check in with Cas. That I needed a few hours without him hovering over me." Christa sighed and ran her hand over her face, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Ugh, I think I really hurt him, Sam."

"Look, I'm sure you didn't cause any lasting damage. You'll find a way to work it out."

"Work what out?"

Dean came walking out of the bathroom and Sam sat up straight, his hand pulling back from where he had been reaching out for Christa. Dean's eyebrow quirked up questioningly as he walked over to them and opened a beer for himself.

"What's up, Christa, where's lover boy?"

"I sent him off. Dean, when you and Cas were going through this whole...bonding process, was he  _ always  _ around? Like, two inches away, around?"

"Whoo-boy. Was he ever. Dude had no concept of personal space, like none, zip, nada. I don't know how many times I nearly had a heart attack with him just popping up in front of my face."

Dean sat in the chair between them, concern in his eyes as he took in the worried look on Christa's face. He set the beer down and took her empty hand in both of his, his lips turned up in an understanding smile. 

"Lemme guess, Gabe goin' a little 'overprotective Guardian Angel' on ya? Always thinkin' the boogeyman's gonna jump out and go 'Boo!'?"

Christa grimaced and nodded at him, taking another long gulp of the beer before speaking.

"Yeah, and it's wearing on my nerves. I mean, I get it. I know it's not really his fault; it's in his wiring to protect me, to make sure nothing happens to me, but that doesn't make it any more bearable. I thought things would calm down a bit now, now that the constant pull I've been feeling has faded a little. I thought it would be the same for him. If anything, it's ramped up even more."

Christa sighed heavily and drained her bottle, getting up to grab another one. Sam passed by her on his way to grab a few glasses from the counter near the mini-fridge, his hand landing lightly on her shoulder in a comforting squeeze. As his hand brushed over her shirt when he pulled away, his thumb grazed her neck. His hand dropped to his side and Christa looked up at him, eyes narrowed in confusion. Sam offered her a tight smile and walked back to the table, grabbing the bottle of Jack out of his duffle along the way.

Shaking off the oddness of the moment, Christa rejoined the boys and turned her attention back to Dean.

"Did it get better, after the bond? I mean, Cas doesn't seem to need to always hover over you, even when the situation allows for it..."

"Yeah, the bond helped, a lot. Now he doesn't need to be with me to know I'm safe, he can feel it in his Grace. Just like I can tell when he's in danger." Dean took a sip of the whiskey Sam poured him and tried to find a way to explain it. "It's...I don't know, it's like some built-in intuition. Some kind of pull on your soul."

Christa nodded silently and looked down, busying her fingers with the label on her beer just to have something to focus her nervous energy on. It was at least slightly reassuring to know it would eventually fade, this endless need she felt even now. She flinched as she felt a pang of sadness flow through the bond. Guilt washed over her as she felt how hurt Gabriel still was by her reaction; she took a gulp of the beer and rubbed her hand over her face.

"Christa, you okay?", Sam asked, noticing her sudden discomfort.

"It's Gabe, I can feel his pain through our connection. He's…" Christa focused on the emotions whirling through the bond. "He's worried that he's pushed me away. That I'm going to reject him. Ugh."

Christa finished her beer and poured herself a glass of whiskey, decidedly needing something stronger and hoping it would help dull the bond enough that she could focus on her own thoughts and feelings.

 

Half an hour later, the bond was indeed sufficiently muted, not that that made it any easier to think things through. Even dulled by the alcohol, her soul suddenly ached to be near Gabriel again, to make sure he was okay. God, would she ever just be her own person again?

She downed another shot, her fourth, and sighed heavily, waving off Dean's offer of a refill. The boys had helped a bit, each in their own way. Dean had explained how much easier things got between him and Castiel after their bond was completed, how he felt complete finally.

Sam, on the other hand, had no wisdom to shed on the subject and so settled for trying to keep her distracted from the bond until it quieted down, asking her questions about how she had felt about Gabriel before the connection had started and joking once or twice about their failed attempt at a relationship.

"Well," Dean said after a minute of uneasy silence, "I'm getting hungry, how 'bout you, Sammy, Princess?"

"Uh, I guess sure."

"Yeah, actually, I haven't had a chance to eat since we left this morning. Food sounds great." Christa stood, wondering if there was a place close enough to walk to. "Anyone notice anything up the street? Don't exactly think any of us are up to driving."

"Actually, I'm still sober."  Dean got up and grabbed Baby's keys off the dresser. "I only had the one shot, and I never finished the beer. I saw a burger joint up the road; you guys stay here, I'll go pick something up. Sit, Christa, relax. I should only be about twenty minutes. Sam, keep her mind off things, yeah?"

Dean shrugged on his jacket as Christa sat back down. He placed a kiss to the top of her head and patted her shoulder. She looked up at him, a sad smile on her face.

"Hey, it'll be okay, Chri. Trust me."

"Thanks, Dean. And uh, don't forget the pie, huh?"

"Never. Twenty minutes, tops."

Sam got up to grab another beer as Dean left, moving over to sit on one of the beds instead. Christa poured herself another whiskey and joined him, leaning against him.

They sat that way for a while, silence passing peacefully between them. She missed moments like this, the two of them simply taking comfort in the others presence. They hadn't had much chance to just relax since all this started and she had begun to miss her best friend.

"So, tell me Sam, what do you think of all this madness?" She took a sip of the whiskey and rested her head on his shoulder. "Finding out about soulmates. What do you think yours will be like, when you find her, or him?"

Sam crooked his head to look at her, a look of sadness flitting across his features. He shrugged his free shoulder and looked away.

"I guess we never really know, do we? Who we're most suited to? But, if I had to guess, I expect they'd be strong, kind, a fierce protector, smart as a whip." Sam sighed and took a long pull from his beer before continuing. "I think my soulmate would have to be a bit of a warrior, sensitive maybe, the good kind of sensitive, and always good for a laugh."

"You just described yourself, you know that right?"

"Isn't that kind of the point, two people who share their best qualities, maybe even their worst? I mean, if they're made from the same soul or Grace, or whatever, wouldn't they be like each other; personality-wise at least?"

Sam nudged her and looked down at her. The look on his face caused Christa to pull back a bit, her nose scrunched in slight confusion.

"I wasn't describing just myself, you know. Plenty of people are like that. Gabriel, for instance. You."

Sam turned slightly, facing her full on. She gasped at the truth she saw flash in his eyes.

"Sam..." Christa gulped and looked away. "I-"

"Christa, look at me. Please."

Christa relented and her heart nearly broke at what she saw there. Love, hope, pain and Chuck knows how many other emotions crossed his features. She had never felt so torn. Part of her wanted to pull him close, smooth away his furrowed brow and ease away the sadness; the other part of her saw only the look of hurt and pain that would surely be set on Gabriel's face if he saw them like that, so seemingly intimate.

"Sam, I love you, you know that. But I love Gabriel and he's my soulmate. You and I, we tried being together, remember? And it didn't work out." She started to get up, needing to put space between them. "I'm sorry, but we're just not meant to be."

Sam reached his hand out and grasped at her, worried she was going to run off. As his fingers wrapped around her wrist, a static passed through them, similar to what she had felt that first time with Gabriel, but not quite the same.

Christa gasped and froze in shock. Her head swirled with conflicting emotions. She tried to steady her hammering heart and think, to process what was happening.

"Chri, wait." Sam stood, his hand still clutching her wrist like a lifeline. "Please, don't go."

He stared down at her, eyes pleading and open.  

"Sam", she breathed, her eyes slipping closed in defeat.

"Christa, if you would just let me finish. I know there's something going on between us. And I don't just mean-"

Sam stopped abruptly as the door swung open, releasing her hand as Dean walked in, hands full of takeout, and kicked the door closed behind him. Christa stepped back and tried to school her features, confusion and alcohol making her mind spin.

Dean crossed the room and set the food on the table, turning around to shoot them a concerned look.

"You guys okay? Chri?"

Christa shook her head to clear it and forced a small smile as she went over to start sorting out the food.  

"It's nothing, Dean. Really. Just me still worrying about Gabriel."

"Thought I told you to keep her mind off things." Dean directed a pointed look over at Sam as they joined Christa at the table. "Looks like you did a bang up job there, Sammy. Poor kid looks worse than when I left."

Sam sunk heavily into his chair, trademark bitch-face flashing across his features. Christa spoke before Sam could.

"I'm fine, Dean. Let's just eat, okay?"

Dean's disbelieving gaze flicked between the two of them before he rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Fine. You don't want to talk about...whatever happened while I was out, fine. But don't try to fool me with such a blatant lie. Whatever it is, it's not nothing."

"Drop it, Dean." Sam grumbled, pulling his salad close and stabbing his fork into a tomato wedge.

"Alright", Dean exclaimed, tossing his hands up in defeat, "you win. Jeez."

The trio ate in silence after that, Christa barely able to taste anything as her mind swirled.   

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More angst and Gabriel makes an unexpected discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fills my MFKinkbingo square: Coitus Interruptus  
> Sorry not sorry for the angst and Sam discomfort.

**Gabriel's POV**

_ I won't beg you to stay _

_ With me _

How could he be so stupid? For all his trying to keep Christa safe, keep her with him, all he had done was pushed her away. Fuck, why couldn't he just keep this incessant need under control? He knew she was a more-than-capable hunter, that she could fight with the best of them, but the growing bond endlessly pushed him towards her. He had tried not to step on her toes, but every time Christa moved out of eyesight the bond would flare up again.

Sure, he could still sense her through the connection, know she was okay. That wasn't good enough for the bond, apparently. Not while they still remained unmated. Once the connection was fully grounded between them, he would be able to pinpoint her location at all times and the need to keep her within reach would dampen. Until then, every atom of his Grace would thrum with awareness when it came to her.

Christa telling him to go had felt like a knife in the gut, his Grace screaming  _ no  _ inside him. It had taken everything just to fly off, to leave her there, even though he knew she was safe. He flew off to find Castiel; his brother had been scouting out the town, trying to locate where the vampires they were hunting had holed up. Maybe he could offer Gabriel some much needed insight on this whole soulmate business. Or, at the very least, give him some advice on how to fix his royal screw up.

Gabriel found his brother on the outskirts of town, in a crowd of trees about a hundred yards from an abandoned farmhouse. Castiel turned around at the sound of his flapping wings as he landed, head tilted quizzically.

"Brother, is everything okay? The others, they're not...?"

"No, Cas, no. They're fine. I, uh, Christa...she needed some space." Gabriel looked down at the ground, face scrunched in a pained frown. "I'm worried, Cas. I'm worried she's going to reject me. The connection is driving me to her, constantly, but it's too much, too soon. I think it's overwhelming her. What do I do, Brother?"

Castiel's face fell as he listened to Gabriel speak, understanding and sympathy washing over his features. When Gabriel fell silent, he wrapped an arm around his shoulders in an awkward attempt of comforting him. Gabriel looked up at his brother, eyes searching for answers as if they were written on the Seraph's face.

Castiel spent the next half hour trying to comfort Gabriel, explaining how it was for him and Dean before the bond was completed, reassuring him that the way he felt now was indeed completely for the par at this stage of the process. That it had been quite the same for him, that Dean had been minutes away from placing warding sigils on the bunker walls nearly the entire time before they had mated.

"Once we finally bonded, it got better. I could feel when he was safe, when he was getting too close to danger. I could leave his presence without my Grace trying to pull me back to him. And, now he can do the same with me. With the connection fully formed, he can always tell where I am too. What you are feeling, it's normal, Brother. You'll see."

Gabriel nodded, his breath exhaling heavily as he listened. Castiel's words were a minor relief, at least. Hopefully, Dean had given Christa similar clarity on the situation and she would calm down soon enough.

He let the bond seek her out, allowing the connection to sense her emotions as he leaned against a tree, his eyes closing as he focused on her. His heart clenched as he felt her emotions wash over him; guilt, pain, confusion, all swirling around a tiny thread of longing. As he searched further he felt his Grace flare as he sensed a surge of want, of  _ need _ . His eyebrows scrunched in confusion as he realized the sudden raw emotion wasn't flowing from Christa, but Sam. Gabriel could suddenly sense Sam's soul, not as well as Christa's but definitely there, calling for him just as surely as it called out for her.

His breath caught in his throat and he pulled his Grace back, his eyes snapping open in shock as he tried to make sense of what he had felt. How could he sense Sam's soul; and why was it reaching out for both of them?

"Cas?" Gabriel spoke suddenly, the Seraph frowning at the worried tone of his voice as he turned his attention away from the farmhouse once again. "Is...um, is it possible for an Angel to have more than one soulmate?"

**Christa's POV**

_ Through the tears _

_ Of the day _

_ Of the years _

Shortly after eating, Christa headed back over to her room, Sam's near-confession still replaying in her mind. Her stomach felt sick, guilt and confusion swirling through her. She couldn't make sense of what had happened between them, the way her soul had begun to buzz at their contact, nearly the same way as when Gabriel had touched her hand that first time, weeks ago. How?

She flopped down on the bed, fighting back sudden tears as she tried to think straight. She thought back over the past few weeks, remembering the way Sam had hugged her the night before this whole thing had started. The light tug toward him she had felt as the boys had left for the hunt. It hadn't been the first time, she'd felt some unnamable need to be around him as much as possible for years. She'd always felt safer, calmer, around him. She had always just assumed it was a normal progression of their friendship, of all the time they spent together. It just didn't make sense, Gabriel was her soulmate; so how could she feel the same need for Sam?  

Christa felt a tear run down her cheek, a sob threatening to rip from her throat as she agonized over this new dilemma. She loved Gabriel, she knew she did, soulmate or not. Was it possible that she loved Sam the same way? Could someone have more than just one soulmate; if so, how would that even work out?

She needed answers, she needed clarity. More than that, she needed Gabriel. Christa cleared her head, letting her thoughts reach out through the bond.

_ Gabriel, come back. Please. _

She let her eyes close, not sure how long it would take him to get back from wherever he had flown off to; if he would even come back anytime soon.

About thirty seconds later, she heard the soft whoosh of his wings as Gabriel appeared in the room. She sat up quickly, her eyes locking with his immediately as she took in his wary stance near the door. Her heart clenched at the uncertain look on his face. She had caused that, the flash of pain buried in the whiskey of his eyes, the way he chewed at his bottom lip. She had sent him away and hurt him in doing so. She stood from the bed, Gabriel's gaze shifting to the floor as she crossed it.

Christa stopped a couple feet away from where he stood and waited, silent as she tried to push down the lump in her throat.

_ Will you please look at me?  _ She let her thoughts do the speaking for her while her voice alluded her, tears welling up in her eyes again as Gabriel seemed to debate whether or not to acquiesce. She could feel the worry radiating off of him as he finally lifted his head, his arms crossing over his chest defensively. Christa took a deep breath as Gabriel raised an eyebrow in tentative curiosity and took a step towards him.  _ Thank you. _

Gabriel nodded once, a soft but fleeting smile pulling at his lips. He was wound so tight, Christa could almost swear she could see his feathers bristle. She took another step closer, feeling like she was approaching a wounded animal, her lip tucked between her teeth as she stood in front of him. She cleared her throat, hands itching to reach out for him but afraid of how he might react.

"Gabe?" His eyes softened slightly at the use of his nickname, his shoulders relaxing even though his arms remained crossed. "I'm sorry, Gabriel. I shouldn't have sent you away like that. I wasn't thinking."

Christa felt the tears slipping through her lashes as she tried to blink them away, the craziness of the past hour or so fully hitting her. She barely kept herself upright as the sobs finally broke free, the dam finally broken.

Gabriel's face fell and he quickly closed the distance, his arms wrapping around her and she all but collapsed against him. She let his warmth surround her, a wave of calm flowing through the bond and washing over her as she cried into his chest, tears creating a damp spot on his shirt. His hands pulled her closer, one tight at her waist, the other rubbing across her shoulder as he tried to soothe her.

"Shh, Christa. It's okay. It's okay, Sugar." He kissed the top of her head, his words muffled against her hair. "You have nothing to be sorry about, sweetheart. I'm the one who couldn't keep the bond in check. Please, Chri, don't cry. I'm okay."

"But I sent you away! How could I just do that?" Christa bunched the fabric of his jacket in her hands, her head still tucked under his chin, afraid to look up at him. "What if the bond had thought I was rejecting you? I-I could have ruined everything. I'm so sorry."

Gabriel pulled back an inch, his fingers cupping her chin and nudging her to look at him. She hiccupped as her tears petered out, her gaze finally meeting his. He wiped away the tear running down her cheek and smiled softly at her, his touch lingering. Christa leaned into it, her grip relaxing as she let him pull her flush against him.

"You didn't ruin anything, Christa. Please, don't blame yourself for this, it was just a fight." Gabriel let out a low chuckle, "if you can even call it that. I'm sorry for being so overprotective, I swear, I'll get a better handle on the pull."

Christa sniffled and wiped at her eyes, her heart swelling with the love she felt pouring through the bond. She reached out slowly, giving him time to pull away as she tucked a stray lock of hair behind his ears. Her hand slid behind his neck, gently pulling him down to her. She hesitated, her breath ghosting over his lips as she looked up at him.

"I love you, Gabe. I won't send you away again, it hurt too much."

Christa pressed her lips to his, fingers tangling in his hair. The kiss started out gentle but Gabriel's hand soon dropped from her chin, joining the other at her waist. He clutched her tighter against him, tongue flicking out tentatively across her lips. She parted them eagerly, suddenly needing to be as close to him as she could get. Her free hand reached between them to tug at his belt as the bond flared with desire, flowing back and forth between them. It had been less than two hours since she had blown up at him, but the way she needed him now, it might as well have been two weeks. Gabriel's tongue slid over hers, exploring her, and she let out a soft moan, eyes fluttering shut as he gripped tighter at her hips.

Gabriel lifted her suddenly, her legs wrapping around his waist on instinct as he turned them around, backing her against the door. When she felt the wood against her back, she broke the kiss, head falling back as she panted heavily. Gabriel took advantage of the newly bared skin, lips feather-light against her throat.

"I've made my decision, Gabriel. The way I felt, after making you leave, I don't want to feel like that ever again." Christa carded her fingers through his hair, tugging to get his attention. He pulled back from her neck, his eyes meeting hers with growing intensity. "Dean told me it gets better, the pull, after. That it fades to almost nothing. Gabe, I want to complete the bond."

"Are you sure, Christa? I don't want you to think that you have to do this so soon; we can wait a few months if you need to. I can-"

"I'm sure, Gabriel. I want this, I want you. Forever."

A low growl rumbled in his chest and his lips crashed to hers, passion swirling through the bond as he pushed her flush against the door. He ran a hand up her side, cupping her breast through her shirt before sliding up, fingers tracing over her cheek and behind her neck, tangling in her hair. Christa moaned against him as he tugged lightly, a rush of arousal coursing through her veins as she felt him thrust shallowly up into her clothed core.

She broke the kiss, her hips pushing down against the erection straining at the zipper of his jeans. Gabriel groaned at the friction, his head dropping to the curve of her neck. He tightened his grip around her waist, securing her against him as he spun them around again and walked over to the bed. Reluctantly, he let go of her, tugging her legs off him. Christa bounced lightly on the mattress and scooted up to the head of the bed as Gabriel looked down at her. She pushed back the sudden wave of nervousness in the back of her mind as she stared up at him expectantly, waiting on baited breath for him to say something.

"So, how...how do we do this? Is there some Enochian spell or something, or do we just, go at it?"

Gabriel slipped his jacket of his arms, tossing it to the floor, before he joined her on the bed. He hovered over her, his legs straddling her hips as he smiled softly.

"We're not doing that tonight."

"But-"

"Not here. The Soul-bond is too special to do in a place like this; when we get back home. 'Sides, wouldn't wanna freak out the civilians with the light show that's bound to happen." Gabriel nosed up along her jaw, tongue flicking out over the shell of her ear and causing her to shiver beneath him. "This, this is just me making up for being such a helicopter Soulmate. Just lay back and let me show you how sorry I am, hmm?"

"Mm, baby, you don't, ah, you don't need to-"

"Shh." Gabriel's hand slid under her shirt, fingers tracing just under the cup of her bra. "Just let me take care of you, Sugar."

Christa felt his Grace thrum through their connection, raw need adding to the deep love threaded through it. She arched into his touch and moaned as his fingers danced across her skin.

"Fuck, Chri, I love you so much", Gabriel murmured against her skin, lips trailing a path down to the swell of her breasts just visible above the top of her shirt. "I'm sorry I was such a pain in the ass today."

Christa cupped his face in her hands, guiding him up to her lips again. She let the ever-present taste of chocolate and honey invade her senses, enveloping her in the comfort of  _ him _ . Her hands slid down to the hem of his shirt, tugging, eager to feel his bare skin against her.

Gabriel broke the kiss, leaning up on his knees, arms raising as she pulled his shirt over his head. He flashed a crooked smile at her as she sat up to meet him, his fingers deftly working at the buttons of her top. Letting the fabric fall from her shoulders, he quickly undid her bra and discarded them both over the side of the bed. Nudging her gently back among the pillows, he continued his interrupted trail of kisses down her body.

"So fucking beautiful," he whispered as his lips closed over a nipple, his fingers teasing at the other.

Christa let out a soft moan, her hand carding through his hair as he worked her nipple into a taut peak. As his tongue swirled over her, he slid a hand down her torso, slipping between them to tease along the edge of her jeans.

"Shit, Gabe, how do you get me so worked up so quick? You've barely even started yet and, fuck," her breath hitched as Gabriel slid a finger into her panties, teasing it over her folds, "'m already so close, Gabriel."

Gabriel chuckled against her skin and looked up with a smirk. He shifted, reaching to nip at that magic spot on her neck that always made her squirm, his teeth grazing over the sensitive skin as she whined. Her hand tugged at his hair, urging him to meet her lips, her tongue tangling with his as his fingers delved into her core. Christa moaned against him, bucking into his touch.

She let out a whimper when he removed his hand from her jeans and sat up, scooting down her side. He popped the button of her jeans and slid the zipper down at a teasing pace. Slowly, he pulled down the denim, lace panties following their path over her legs. Christa shivered when the cool air whispered over her wet folds as he nudged her legs apart, settling between her thighs. He leaned down, fingers parting her folds, tongue flicking out to lave a heated stripe between them. She let out a small yelp as he swirled over her clit, her desire rising higher.

"Fuck, Gabe! Mm, feels good, baby." Her hand shot out to card through his hair, gently scraping over his scalp. Gabriel hummed against her in approval, encouraging her to tug harder. She could feel him through the bond, his Grace flaring slightly as his need rose. "Oh, Gabriel. Love you, baby."

A sudden thought pulled her from her hazy pleasure, her hand nudging him to stop.

"Hmm?" Gabriel looked up, confused concern in his eyes.

"The room. You forgot to soundproof." Christa bit her lip. She had almost become too caught up to remember; after her awkward moment with Sam earlier, she felt it wouldn't be fair to cause him undue discomfort at having to hear them going at it.

Gabriel smirked up at her, fingers snapping.

"Ever the practical one, aren't you Sugar?"

He chuckled and dipped his head back down, his lips latching over her clit once more. He gripped her hip with one hand, holding her down as she bucked against him. He slipped a finger into her core, her slick easing the way as he pumped into her.

Christa cried out as she felt her release inching closer. She let her desire flow through their connection, let Gabriel see just how much she needed him. She opened the bond completely, showing him everything she felt for him, the love, the pain she'd felt at sending him away.

"Gabriel...oh, fuck, Gabe. I'm so sorry, never...mm, never should have told you to go. Need you too much."

As Gabriel worked her closer to her climax, Christa felt his Grace begin to flit over her skin, the cool tendril of power snaking up to create the softest of pressure against her nipple, like the ghosting of fingers coaxing the bud to a taut peak. She arched into the touch, fingers tightening in his hair as her senses clouded with her need.

"Oh, fuck, Gabriel. Baby, I'm close, shit. Gonna come, Gabe..."

One finger became two, crooked against that sweet spot as the coil tightened inside and snapped, Gabriel's Grace sending another tendril to focus on Christa's clit as he pulled himself up to crush his lips to hers, swallowing down her moans as the waves of her orgasm crashed over her, flowing through the bond. She clutched at his back as he drew out her climax, the bond overwhelming her senses as she felt his love swirling, surrounding her.

"Oh, shit! Sorry!"

The sound of a door slamming registered just enough to pull Christa from the haze of her orgasm, Gabriel's Grace slamming back home in shock. He pulled back from her, confused for a second as his Angel senses reached out to find the intruder.

"Sam. Fuck, looks like neither of us remembered to lock the door."

Christa scurried to find something to cover herself with as Gabriel left her side and crossed the room to face the hunter waiting on the other side of the door. She grabbed his shirt, hastily throwing it on and buttoning it, her face flushed with embarrassment. So much for not causing Sam further pain. Fuck, how could they forget the door?!

Once Christa was somewhat decent, Gabriel threw open the motel door to find Sam pacing awkwardly back and forth in front of it.

"What the hell, Sam, ever heard of knocking?!?"

Sam stopped his pacing and faced Gabriel sheepishly, shifting his feet as he spoke at the ground.

"I...I  _ did  _ knock. I couldn't hear anyone, I-I got worried; just came to check on Christa."

Realization dawned on Christa as she realized why the room had felt odd after Gabriel had soundproofed it; in his haste, he must've accidentally made it so they wouldn't be able to hear anything from outside the room just as well as keeping their sounds contained. She grimaced as she walked to stand beside Gabriel, a look of contrition plastered to her face.

"Gabriel, it's not his fault, it's ours. Your soundproofing seems to have worked a little  _ too  _ well this time. Sam, I'm...I'm sorry you had to see that." She tried to keep the trepidation she felt from flowing through the bond, not wanting Gabriel to worry. "Thank you for wanting to make sure I was okay, Sam. Really.”"

Sam looked up finally, that kicked puppy look in his eyes again as his gaze flicked over them and up, over their heads, focusing on the wall across the room. He rubbed at the back of his neck nervously, a flush reddening his cheeks.

"Yeah, 's no problem, Chri. Um, anyways, Cas said he found where the Vamps are holed up, uh...we weren't sure if you'd want to come with…?"

Gabriel looked between Sam and Christa, confused curiosity registering in the bond. Christa schooled her features and tamped down the swirl of emotions beginning to rise up in her chest. Gabriel would definitely have questions about what happened while he was gone now, she was sure of it.

She looked at Gabriel, shrugging her shoulders. "Might as well back them up; the moment's kinda gone anyhow. You promise to behave this time, no stupid throwing yourself in the way of danger, just to keep me safe?"

Gabriel had the decency to look at least slightly admonished, knowing her words were only partially a reprimand. He sighed and looked over at Sam to find his eyes raking over Christa's half-covered form. He cleared his throat and Sam jolted, the blush on his cheeks deepening.

"I promise to try, Christa. Sam, we'll meet you guys at the car in a couple minutes, okay?"

"Ahem, uh, sure. Again...sorry."

Sam looked between them once more before turning tail and striding quickly back to the other room.

Gabriel closed the door and snapped his fingers; the muffled feeling from before dissipated and they could hear the sound of Baby's trunk closing.

"Well, the Interrupting Moose strikes again. Sorry the fun got cut short, Sugar." He pulled Christa close, his eyes searching hers. "You okay, Chri? Ya look a bit more perturbed than I'd figure you would. That can't have been the first time one of you has seen the other naked; all that time sharing motel rooms, incidents at the bunker...?"

Christa sighed, anxiety pushing its way to the forefront of her emotions. How to explain to him what happened without leaving the Archangel wanting smite the Sam?

"Gabe, I think we need to talk about Sam. But, not now, okay? Let's just get this hunt over with and get back home. We still have our own stuff to work out before we start worrying about other people."

Gabriel smiled softly at her, a wave of calm flowing through the bond as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Of course, sweetheart. Now, let's go kick some undead butt."


End file.
